The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-04-14
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
A LITERARY CHAT WITH MRS.
MARTHA J. LAMB.
PLAGIARISM OF HAGGARD
What Domestic and Foreign Authors
and Publishers are Doing
er's Forthcoming Book.
SDcctaL corresponIence Qt tie God Leaf.

.Spcc5al c0rrespondence Of tie GoId Leaf.
New YORK, April 8, 1887.
The thousands Of readers who for
the past years have enjoyed the mas /
terIy written histories Of our own coun-
try, in that popular monthly-7Ac |
IIaga5iuc of american Hi5t0IJ, have
been destined to know but little le-
gardins the personality of its editor,
Mrs. Martha !. Lamb. Although one
of the brightest of our women VIII
tcrs living Gas l Judge from her
"Iistory Of New York City'), her
name is seldom encountered in the
newspapers, save in a monthly review
of her historical monthly, by critical
editor. Mrs. Lamb is one OF the least
talked about women in proportion to
! the solid work she has done, and has
persistently refused to give the public
any idea of her methods of work.
! had climbed the stairs to Mrs.
Lambs snug little perch of an edito-
rial office in the three-story building,
on Lafayette Place, and sent in my
card. After waiting brief time the
rustling of a lady's garments was
heard. and soon Mrs. Lamb stood in
the doorway receiving me with most
graceful bow In appearance the ia
nous author is about five feet four
inches in height, fair complexion,
wavv brown hair with threads Of gray
interviewer; violet blue eyes, expressive
and beautiful; flexible, tender mouth,
and we'll formed countenanCe. She
is intellectual and interesting rather
than beautiful.
Her sanctum bears evident traces Of
feminine occupation. There are
books, rows upon rows of them, and
manuscripts in plenty; but there IS also
sunshine and bright hangings. Mrs.
Lamb has been for four years now IN
charge Of the Magazine of american
Xst01r, which under her editorshlp,
has been steadily growing in influence
and in circulation both at home and
abroad. What used 10 be a periodical
for SPECIALISTS, almost unknown to the
general public, has become without
lowering the grade Of its scholarship.
bv the fresh life infused into it, real
power in fostering a widespread inter
est in the field it Cultiyates and IT
multjplying the number Of students O
the history Of the great republic.
No literary woman Of this country
has made an "evll lasting" name anc
fame for herself as the author of "Ihe
History of New York City," Thu
volume published some three or fou
wears ago, was fifteen years IN prepara
ton, and was put before the public a
modestlv as it were the work of day
After a few moments of general con
yer,ation, asked Mrs. Lamb if sh
would tell me something about tn
commencement of her work.
ooh | don't think that would inter
est anvone; would it?" she laughingl
asked.
..Nery much, indeed. "
..Wel, it had been suggested tina
an adequate account Of New York wa
wanting and that editors and scholar
would gladly welcome such work. l
an idle hour when brought to the cit
for three or four month medical trea
mcnt. I began to look over the mate
rial that could be collected at the |
II braries. and Ill no long time had ou
lined sketch that might have been
convenient enough depository of tt
pleanIngs of others. Getting lnte
E., ested in the work as it went on, ne
proceeded to pick up loose threa
here and there and to push lnvestlS'
ton in one direction and anothe
Inquiries in this quarter and that pl
4 continually increasing store OF tres
h. material within my reach. until, almo
without my knowing it, | may say, Il
task of harmonizing and dlSestn
stretched itself over a decade and
half and resulted in my present vo
. ume.
Notwithstanding that Charles
Webster & Co. have been robbed
$4,000 recently through their boo
er keeper, their "pluCk' and ''puah IS
In r1 the present stronger than ever. WI
the beginning Of spring they will brI
out two volumes which no doubt w
attract world d-wide attention. O
5 will bear the title, General. 5. \
Crawford's Genesis of the Civil War
and the other will probably be e
titled: "Reminiscences OF Winnie
Scott Hancock, by his Wife -
The former comprises a compile
re history Of the events which led up
nd the war, including graphic descrI
~ ton of the condition of the tede1
n fortresses and batteries in Charlest
re re harbor, and also the first downfall a
90, bombardment Of Sumter. 1t IS the II
ke exhaustive treatise of the events mn
diatcly preceding the rcb elllon, and